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AUTOMATIC CONTINUOUS HYDRAULIC OIL PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 9.1918.

1 ,3 1 ,036 I Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

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Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

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C. D. HELM.

AUTOMATIC CONTINUOUS HYDRAULIC OIL PRESS- APPLICATION FELE D JULY 9, I918.

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AUTOMATIC CONTINUOUS HYDRAULIC OIL PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 9.1918.

Patented Septlfi; 1919.

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c. 0.11am. AUTOMATIC CONTINUOUS HYDRAULIC OIL PRESS.

AIPLICATION FILED JULY 9. I918- Patentd Sept. 16, 1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLYDE n. I-IELM, or FORT WORTH, TEXAS. ssrenon To OIL MILL MACHINERY &

. MANUFACTURING 00., OF roar WORTH, TEXAS, A CORPORATION or TEXAS.

. AUTOMATIC CONTINUOUS HYDRAULIC OIL-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

Application filed July 9, 1918., Serial No. 244,102.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLYDE D. HELM, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Fort Worth, in the county of Tarrant and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Continuous Hydraulic Oil-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to oil presses and primarily to presses for pressing oil out of cotton seed meal or cotton seed, but to presses for extracting oil from other articles, such as castor beans, linseed, copra, and other oil. producing elements, and for extracting juices; and the object isto produce a press or great power which will be continuous and automatic in action and by which much time may be saved in extracting oil from seed or meal and which will dispense with several laborers and which will effect a great saving in the expense of extracting the oil. Another object is toprovide a press that will extract more oil from the oil producing elements and thus make the press more economical. Another object is to provide a timing mechanism by which the press will be operated continuously except for short periods for pressing and loading the press boxes or trays without the attention of an operator. Another object is to provide an automatic replacing mechanism to restore certain operating parts to starting points. Another object is to provide a press which will be unitary in action.

Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the following description and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the claims. 1

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the press. Fig. 2 is anend elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a broken horizontal section. Fig. 4. is a vertical section of a gravity-actuated replacing receptacle. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lower pressing platform, showing the re placing dash pots. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the lower pressing platform, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the upper pressing head or platform. Fig. 8 is a vertical section of one of the caps. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of" one of the trays or press boxes. Fig. 10 is an end view of the same. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the same,

with a section of press cloth and a-section of the perforated press plate used with the press'boxes. Fig. 12 is a vertical section of the automatic oil switch used in the replacing mechanism. Fig. 13 is a detail plan view of the coupling links. Fig. 14 is a detail view of the automatietiming cam wheel.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

The improved press is provided with a base'pressing plate 1 which is mounted on base supports 2 and is provided with a channel 3 in its upper face for the passage of the press boxes or trays and grooves 4 for the passage of the hinge knuckles of the press boxes. The plate or platform 1 is cored out under the bottom, as at 5, for lightness and for saving metal. The plate 1 has sockets 6 for the vertical columns.

The upper pressing plate 7 is co-extensive with the lower plate 1 and moves vertically and is guided in its vertical movements by laterally projecting lugs 8 and the vertical columns 9, the lugs 8 being curved partly about the columns 9. Fig. 2 shows the downward projection ofthe upper pressing plate 7 which isreduced to enter the press boxes. p

The pressing heads 10 are mounted on the columns 9 and held thereon by nuts 11. The

columns 9 project through base pressing platform 1 and are held therein by nuts 12. The hydraulic rams or pistons 13 are stationary with the heads 10 and thecylinders 14. therefor are mounted on the upper pressing plate 7. The pressure fluid for operatingthe cylinders 14 is fed from pipe 15 (which leads to the fluid supply source) through branch pipes 16 into the heads 10 and down through the pistons 13. It is ap parent that the pressure fluid can be fed to the pistons without going through the heads 10. The cylinders 14 are to be forced down on the upper pressing plate 7 at regular intervals.

An endless conveyor made of a number of units is provided for delivering the material to the press and for removing the material from the press after the oil is pressed out or extracted. Each unit consists of abase 17 and side retaining members 18' andflanges 19 which support the units outside ofthe retaining members and strengthen the retaining, members 18. The units are connected into an endless chain of units by bars 20, each of which has a male and a female end, the female of one end receiving the male end of the adjacent bar of the adjacent unit and hingedly connected by pivot bolts 21. The bars are riveted to the bottoms of the units and grooves 4 are made in the upper surface of the lower pressure plate 1 for the passage of the bars 20 and their hinge-j oints. A channel is made in the upper surface of the lower pressure plate 1 wide enough to receive the units with their lateral flanges 19. The bottom of each unit is provided with grooves 22 for draining oil. A perforated, corrugated sheet metal press plate 23 is placed on the bottom of each unit and press cloth 24 is placed on the press plate 23. The channel in the upper surface of the lower pressure plate 1 will aid in preventing lateral displacement of the endless eonveyer. The press-box is completed by cutofi's 25 which are carried by the upper pressure plate 7. The cut-offs 25 are adjustably attached to the ends of the plate 7. Slots 26 are made in the cut-offs and bolts 27 pro ject through the slots 26 and are screwed into the ends of the plate 7. Spring-seats 28 are formed on the ends of the plate 7 and springs 29 bear against the cut-ofi's 25 and against the seats 28 and make the cut-offs act automatically to cut off the material and to" close the ends of that part of the conveyer which is under the plate 7. Another object of the springs 29 is to let the plate 7 go on down after the cut-offs 25 stop. The cutoffs 25 have laterally projecting flanges 30 Which stop against the top edges 18 of the units just as the lower edges of the cut-offs reach the bottoms or upper surface of the conveyer. The slots 26 cotiperate with the springs 29 in the adjustments of the cutofls 25. The endless conveyer moves through the press between the plates 1 and 7 and is driven by drums 31 which have hexagon peripheries so that each hexagon face will engage one unit of the conveyer for driving the endless cOnveyer. The drum at the discharge end of the press is provided with a shaft 32 which is journaled in a bearing 33 and in bearings 34 which project from the lower plate 1. The supports 2 have open ings therethrough for the passage of the endless press-box. Tracks 34 are provided and placed in the supports 2, one in each side, to prevent the sagging of the conveyer as it passes under the press. The flanges 19 run on the tracks 34:. The shaft 32 is driven by a power pulley 36 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 32. The pulley 36 is omitted from Fig. 1 for clearness of illustration. At the other end, or receiving end of the press, the drum 31 runs on a shaft 35. The pressbox is charged with oil producing material from a tank 37 through a spout 38.

Means are provided for automatically stopping and starting the travel of the endless conveyer. A clutch 37 is slidably mounted. on the shaft 32 and made to revolve with this shaft by a key 38 and is adapted to engage the recess 89 in the hub of the pulley 36 for driving this pulley, or rather to be driven by this pulley. A yoke i0 is pivotally connected to the clutch 2-57 and provided with a fulcrum 4L1 which is attached to the press. A spring 1-2 is attached to the other end of the yoke i0 and to the press and tends to hold the clutch 37 in engagement with the wheel 36. The clutch 37 has a. hub of ordinary construction provided with a groove in the periphery and a pin 43 in the yoke etO projects into the groove. Means are provided for intermittently throwing the clutch 37 out of mesh so that the pulley 36 will not drive the shaft 32. This is for the purpose of allowing the conveyor to stop traveling while the oil is being pressed out of a charge of material. A cam wheel l 4- is mounted 011 a shaft 45 and is provided with a cam 46 on the inner face thereof. A roller 17 is mounted on the end of the yoke 40 and bears against the cam 16 and thus holds the clutch out of mesh, but when the wheel 4-1 revolves far enough for the roller 47 to pass oil of the cam .:6 onto the side of the wheel 4A, the spring 42 will press the clutch in mesh and the shaft 32 will be revolved until the roller a7 runs up on the cam i6. At the moment when the roller l7 passes off of the cam l6, the spring 42 acts and moves the roller. The press box will be moved when the shaft 32 is revolved and it will stop when the shaft 32 stops revolving.

Means are provided for automatically cutting off the pressure fluid and simultaneously releasing the pressure. The pipe 15 leads from the fluid pressure supply source to the hydraulic cylinders 14 and means are provided for stopping the pressure in pipe 15 and releasing the pressure in this pipe so that the hydraulic cylinders may he elevated. The pipe 15 is intercepted by a two way valve 48, having a direct duct if) and a branch duct 50. A spring-actuated rod 51 has a passage adapted to register with the duct 49 and a passage adapted to register with the duct 50. A spring 5% normally holds the passage 52 in line with the duct if) for the pressure fluid to act on the hydraulic cylii'rders 1-1. Means are provided for releasing the tension of the spring 54 so that the rod 51 will be forced downnuirdly and thus throw the passage 52 out of line with the duct 49 and at the same time bring the passage 53 in line with the duct 50 so that the pressure fluid can pass back through the pipe 55 to the receiver tank (not shown). The wheel 44: has a cam 56 on the periphery thereof and a roller 57 engages this cam. The roller 57 is carried in the lower end of the rod 51. When the roller riding on the cam 56, the spring 54; is compressed and the rod 51 held in the elevated position to hold the passage 52 in line with the duct 49 and when the roller 57 passes off the cam 56, the rod 51 and roller 57 are forced downby the spring 54, bringing the passage 53 in line with duct and simultaneously closing the duct 19. Spring seats 58 and 59 are attached to a bar 60 and a collar 61 may be set at different positions on the rod 51 to regulate the tension ofthe spring 54:. The time for closing the duct 49 or pressure supply source through pipe 15 and releasing the pressure in pipe 15 must be made to cooperate with the cam actions of the Wheel 44: and vice versa. When the conveyer tops, as above described, the pressure through pipe 15 begins, and when the conveyer starts to traveling, the pressure through pipe 15 must have already been stopped and released. These actions are adjustedby properly setting the wheel 41:4; with the cams thereon.

Means are )rovided for elevating the hydraulic cylin ers 14L automatically together with the pressure plate 7. Dash-pots 62 are mounted on the lower pressure plate 1 and lugs 63 projecting from said plate and piston 6st operate in the dash-pots and against projecting lugs 8 for lifting plate7, lugs 8 performing a double function. Theplungers or pistons 6 1 are operated by a pressure fluid whichis supplied to thecylinders 62 by a pipe 65 and branch pipes 66 and the pressure i so arranged that the pistons of the dash-pots will be automatically elevated as soon as the pressure in the hydraulic cyl;

inders 14 is released. The pipe 65 is connected to a cylinder 67 which contains a pressure fluid. A piston 68 operatesin cylinder 67. The piston 68 is connected to a tank or receptacle 69 by a cross-bar 70 and rods 71. The tank 69 is filled with slugs or scrap iron or anything to make weight. When the pressure comes in the hydraulic c linder-s14, the pistons in the dash-pots 62 are pressed down andthe fluid in the dashpots Will be forced intocylinder 67 andthe piston 68 will be forced upwardly, carrying the weighted tank 69. When the pressure in the hydraulic cylinders 14 is released, the greater weight of the 'piston 68 with the weighted tank 69 will force the fluid in the dash-pots 62 and thus raise the plate 7 and the cylinders 14:. The object in raising the plate 7 and cylinders 14L is to release the con veyer so that the press-box will move along so that a new charge of oil producing material can be placed in the conveyer. All the various parts are intended to work automaticall and continuously except the intermittent stopping at regular intervals, as above described.

The improved press is designed to work with. rapidity and efficiency. Theoil presses terial for extracting the oil. In operation,

the driving gear runs continuously. The conveyer is an endles box, but provision is made for attaching the conveyer to the driv ing gear and for detaching it from the driving gear, both actions being automatic, as above described. The conveyer is charged and moves along being drawn by the driving gear until the box is brought to the pro-per place under the upper pressing membelgthe box is then automatically detached from the gear by" the timing wheel and its cam and at the same time, the timing wheel with an other cam opens the fluid pressure supply for driving the hydraulic cylinders on the pressure plate. As soon as a pressure opera tion is complete, the timing wheel causes the valve to switch from the fiuid pressure sup ply to a relief of thefluid pressure and at the same time connects the conveyer to the driving gear. The hydraulic cylinders and the upper pressing member will be elevated automatically by the dash-pots and the Weighted piston operating in the fluid pres sure cylinder67. These operations go on antomatically and intermittently as above described. It is apparent that various changes in the sizes, proportions, construction and arrangement of the several parts maybe made without departing from my invention.

What I claim, is, 1. An 'oil press comprising a lower pressing frame, an upper pressure frame cooperating therewith, hydraulic cylinders mounted on said upper frame, head caps above said upper frame, columns and nuts therefor mounting said caps and said lower frame at fixed distances apart, hydraulic rams carried by said caps and projecting into said cylinders, means for feeding a pressure fluid through said rams into said cylinders, an endless conveyer moving on said lower frame, means for feedinglmaterial to said conveyer, meansfor automatically stopping said conveyer, and means for supplying pressure fluid to said cylinders while the conveyer is stationary.

2. An oil press comprising upper and lower pressure plates, an endless conveyer moving between said plates, drivingmeans for operating said conveyer, means for supplying fluid for applying fluid pressure to one pressure plate, means for feeding material to said conveyer, means for automatically stopping and starting said conveyer, and means, actuated by said drivingmeans and timed to cooperate with said stopping and starting means for automatically starting the fluid supply and for releasing the fluid supply.

3. An oil press having upper and lower pressure plates, an endless conveyer moving between said plates, means for supplying fluid for applying fluid pressure to one of said plates, means for driving said conveyer,.means for feeding material to said conveyer, means actuated by said driving means for automatically starting the fluid supply and fluid pressure and for automatically cutting off the fluid supply and releasing the fluid pressure, and means actuated by said driving means for starting and stopping said conveyer.

4. An oil press having upper and lower pressing members, an endless conveyer moving between said members, means for feeding material to said conveyer, hydraulic cylinders carried by said upper member for applying pressure thereto, head-caps fixedlv mounted, hydraulic rams rigid with said head caps and engaging said cylinders, means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinders through said rams, and means for releasing the fluid pressure from said cylinders.

5. An oil press having upper and lower pressing members, the lower pressing member having a longitudinal guide channel therein,- an endless conveyer between said pressing members consisting of a series of units hingedly connected together and each unit consisting of a casting having integral side b0X-f0rming members and lateral flanges cooperating with the wall of the said channel to prevent lateral movement of said conveyer, means for feeding material to said conveyer and means for driving the conveyer;

6. An oil press having upper and lower pressing members, an endless conveyer moving between said members, means for feeding material to said conveyer, spring-controlled cut-offs for cutting off and inclosing a charge in said conveyer, said cut-offs having vertical slots therein, bolts projecting through said slots for mounting said cut-offs on said upper member, means for applying pressure to said upper member.

7. An oil press having upper and lower pressing members, a conveyer between said members, means for charging said conveyer with material, hydraulic cylinders carried by one of said members, heads fixedly mounted on said press, hydraulic rams car ried by said heads and operating in said cylinders, and means for supplying fluid to said cylinders through said rams for exerting pressure in said cylinders.

8. An oilpress having upper and lower pressing members, a conveyer between said members, means for charging said conveyer with material, hydraulic cylinders carried mounted on said press, hydraulic rams carried by said caps and operating in said cylinders, a pipe connected to a fluid pressure supply for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinders through said rams, a threeway valve for cutting off the fluid supply and simultaneously relieving the fluid pressure, and means for automatically actuating said valve at regular intervals.

9. An oil press having upper and lower pressing members, a conveyer between said members, means for charging said conveyer with material, hydraulic cylinders carried by said upper member, head-caps and shouldered columns and nuts therefor mounting said head-caps and lower member at fixed space apart, hydraulic rams carried by said head-caps and operating in said cylinders. means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinders through said rams, and means for relieving the fluid pressure from the cylinders.

10. An oil press having upper and lower pressing members, a. conveyer between said members, means for charging said conveyer with material, hydraulic cylinders carried by said upper member, head-caps and shouldered columns and nuts therefor mounting said head-caps and said lower member at a fixed. space apart, hydraulic rams carried by said head-caps and operating in said cylinders, and means for automatically sunplying fluid pressure to said cylinders through said rams at regular intervals.

11. An oil press having upper and lower pressing members, an endless conveyer made of a plurality of units hingedly connected together moving between said members, a. driving gear for moving said conveyer including drums having flat faces for engaging said units, means for feeding material to said conveyer, means for supplying fluid at regular intervals for applying fluid pressure to said upper member, and means for automatically cutting off the fluid supply and releasing the fluid supply and means for stopping and starting said press-box timed to cooperate with the fluid supply means.

12. An oil press having upper and lower pressing members, an endless conveyer made of a plurality of units hingedly connected together and moving between said members, means for feeding material to said conveyer, a driving gear for moving said conveyor. a three-way valve for automatically supplying fluid pressure to said upper member and for releasing the fluid pressure at regular intervals, and a timing mechanism cooperating with said fluid pressure supplyin means for stopping and cooperating with said fluid releasing means for starting the driving of said conveyer.

13. An oil press having upper and lower by said upper .member, head-caps fixedly pressing members, an endless conveyer made .lOll

up of a plurality of units, each unit having coupling bars attached thereto and the coupling bars of one unit being hingedly connected to the coupling bars of the adjacent units, said lower member having grooves for the passage of said coupling bars, means for feeding material to said press-box, and means for applying pressure to said upper member at regular intervals.

14-. An oil press having upper and lower pressing members, an endless conveyer moving between said members, means for feeding material to said conveyer, said lower member having a channel therein for the passage of said conveyer and forming a guide-way to prevent lateral displacement of said conveyer, means for applying pressure to said upper member at regular intervals, driving gear for operating said eonveyer, and a timing wheel provided with means for automatically stopping the movement of said conveyer while pressure is being applied to said up er member and for automatically starting t e movement of said conveyer as soon as taken from said upper member.

15. An oil press having upper and lower pressing members, an endless conveyer moving between said members, means for feeding material to said conveyer, hydraulic means for applying fluid pressure to said upper member, a continuously running driving gear for moving said press-box, and a timing wheel provided with means for automatically detaching said conveyer from said driving gear for stopping the movement of the conveyer and simultaneously starting the fluid pressure.

16. An oil press having upper and lower pressing members, an endless conveyer moving between said members, means for feeding material to said conveyer, means for applying fluid pressure to said upper member, a continuously running driving gear for moving said conveyer, and a timing wheel actuated by said driving gear provided with means for automatically detach ing said conveyer from said driving gear and also provided with means for automatically starting the fluid pressure at the same time and with the same means automatically stopping the fluid supply after a pressure operation and at the same time connecting said conveyer to said driving gear for moving said conveyer.

17 An oil press having upper and lower pressing members, an endless conveyer moving between said members, means for feeding material tosaid conveyer, means for applying fluid pressure tosaid upper member, a continuously running driving gear for moving said conveyer, and a timing W'heel actuated by said driving gear provided with means for automatically detaching said press-box from said driving gear prior to a pressure operation and for automatically connecting said conveyer to said driving gear after a pressure operation, and said timing wheel being also provided with means for automatically starting the fluid pressure simultaneously with the stopping of the conveyer and for automatically stopping the fluid supply on the completion of a pressure operation and relieving the fluid pressure.

18. An oil press having upper and lower pressing members, a conveyer moving between saidmem'bers, means for feeding material to said conveyer, said lower member having a longitudinal channel therein for said conveyer, the side walls of said channel forming guides to prevent lateral movement of the conveyer and said conveyer having lateral flanges cooperating with said walls, means for applying pressure to said upper pressing member, and means for automatically elevating said upper plate after a pressure operation.

19. An oil press having upper and lower pressing members, a conveyer moving between said members, means for feeding material to said conveyer, means for applying fluid pressure to said upper member for forcing the same down on the material in said conveyer, and means for automatically elevating said upper member after a pressure operation consisting of a fluid pressure cylinder and a weighted ram therefor and dash-pots operatively connected to said cylinder and provided with pistons engaging said upper member.

In testimony whereof, I set my hand, this 5th day of July, 1918.

CLYDE D. HELM.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

